Contact terminal unit and socket connector incorporated with the same contact terminal units

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a contact terminal unit and a socket connector incorporated with the same contact terminal units. A contact terminal unit comprises a plurality of conductive strings twisted into a single strand, and an insulative material encapsulating the strand. The socket connector is incorporated with a plurality of the same contact terminal units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a contact terminal unit, and moreparticularly to a contact terminal configured by a plurality of twistedconductive strings encapsulated within an insulative column. The presentinvention also includes a socket connector incorporated with the contactterminals described above.

2. Description of Prior Art

Electrical connector is widely used for electrically and mechanicallyconnecting an electronic package such as a CPU to a PCB (Printed CircuitBoard) such as a motherboard. Generally, the electrical connectorcomprises an insulative housing having a plurality of passageways, and aplurality of contact terminals received in the plurality of passageways,correspondingly.

Usually, the contact terminals are made of metal material via art ofstamping. The contact terminal usually has a base portion with aplurality of barbs thereon. The barbs are used to penetrate into andinterferentially engage with inner walls of the passageway, so as tosecure the contact terminal in the corresponding passageway.

However, such conventional contact terminal brings some negativeeffects. Firstly, the contact terminal usually further has a matingportion and a solder portion extending from the base portion forengaging with an IC (Integrated Circuit) package and a substrate,respectively. Thus, the conventional contact terminal has a complicatedstructure and geometrical profile. Obviously, manufacturing cost of suchconventional contact terminal is high. Secondly, when a conventionalcontact terminal is inserted into the passageway, the barbs willpenetrate into inner walls of the passageway. Accordingly, the housingmay be warpaged and performance of the housing will be affected.

In view of the above, an improved contact terminal unit and a socketconnector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a contactterminal unit and a socket connector incorporated with the same contactterminal unit, and more particularly to a contact terminal configured bya plurality of twisted conductive strings encapsulated within aninsulative column and a socket connector incorporated with the samecontact terminal units thereby prevent the housing of the socketconnector from damage when the contact terminal unit is inserted intothe passageway of the housing.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a contact terminal unit and asocket connector incorporated with the same contact terminal units areprovided. A contact terminal unit comprises a plurality of conductivestrings twisted into a single strand, and an insulative materialencapsulating the strand. The socket connector is incorporated with aplurality of the same contact terminal units. The contact terminal unitis capable of elastically abutting against inner wall of the passagewaywhen it is inserted into the passageway. Accordingly, the inner wall ofthe passageway could avoid being damaged by the contact terminal unit.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a contact terminal of an electricalconnector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a single strand in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the electrical connector in accordancewith the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the presentinvention in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the contact terminal unit 12 is used forelectrically connecting an electrical package 8 with a PCB 9. Thecontact terminal unit 12 comprises a plurality of conductive stringstwisted into a single strand 122 and an elastic insulative material 120encapsulating the strand 122. Number of the conductive strings is three.The single strand 122 may be integrally formed with insulative material120 via art of inset-molding. In this embodiment, the single strand 122is formed with three conductive wires interlacing with one another, soas to form a solid structure. The insulative material 120 is of acylindrical shape and may be made from silica gel. In this embodiment,the single strand 122 is surrounded by the insulative material 120, withtwo opposite ends of the single strand 122 extending beyond theinsulative material 120 for interconnecting the two electric components8, 9, respectively.

The contact terminal unit 12 can be used in an electrical connector 1 inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention forelectrically connecting an IC package 8 with a PCB 9. The electricalconnector 1 comprises an insulative housing 10 and a plurality ofcontact terminal units 12 received in the insulative housing 10.

The insulative housing 10 has an upper face and a lower face, and aplurality of passageways 100 extending therebetween. When the contactterminal unit 12 is inserted into the passageway 100, the insulativematerial 120 will be deformed and abut against inner walls of thepassageway 100. Thus, the contact terminal 10 will be retained in thepassageway 100 by an elastic force from the insulative material due todeformation. The opposite free ends of the single strand 122 extendbeyond the upper face and the lower face of the insulative housing 10for interconnecting the IC package 8 with the PCB 9, respectively.Accordingly, the inner wall of the passageway 100 could avoid beingdamaged by the contact terminal.

While the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present inventionhas been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes knownto persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the presentinvention are considered within the scope of the present invention asdefined in the appended claims.

1. An electrical contact terminal unit for interconnecting twoelectronic components, comprising: a plurality of conductive stringstwisted into a single strand; and an insulative material encapsulatingthe strand.
 2. The electrical contact terminal unit as claimed in claim1, wherein number of the conductive strings is three.
 3. The electricalcontact terminal unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulativematerial is formed with a cylindrical shape.
 4. The electrical contactterminal unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulative material isintegrally formed with the single strand, two opposite ends of thesingle strand extending beyond the insulative material forinterconnecting the two electronic components, respectively.
 5. A socketconnector for interconnecting two electronic components, comprising: aninsulative housing having a plurality of passageways extending betweenan upper face and a lower face thereof; and a plurality of contactterminal units received in the passageways, respectively, each contactterminal comprising: a plurality of conductive strings twisted into asingle strand; and an insulative material encapsulating the strand. 6.The socket connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein number of theconductive strings is three.
 7. The socket connector as claimed in claim6, wherein the insulative material is formed with a cylindrical shape.8. The socket connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the insulativematerial is integrally formed with the single strand, two opposite endsof the single strand extending beyond the insulative material forinterconnecting the two electronic components, respectively.
 9. Thesocket connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the insulative materialextends beyond both the upper face, lower face.
 10. An electrical socketassembly comprising: an insulative housing defining opposite upper andlower surfaces in a vertical direction; a plurality of terminal unitssnugly embedded in the housing in matrix, each of said terminal unitsincluding an inner conductive wire set axially surrounded by insulativematerial essentially along said vertical direction; wherein each of saidterminal units defines two opposite ends respectively extending beyondthe upper and lower surfaces in said vertical direction, and iscompressible in said vertical direction when an upper electroniccomponent and a lower electronic component is located intimately aroundthe upper surface and the lower surface and electrically andmechanically connected with each of said terminal units.
 11. Theelectrical socket assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said innerwire set is essentially composed of a plurality of strings twistedtogether as a strand.
 12. The electrical socket assembly as claimed inclaim 10, wherein the housing defines a plurality of passagewaysextending along the vertical direction to snugly retainably receive thecorresponding terminal units, respectively.
 13. The electrical socketassembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said passageways leavesa space from the corresponding terminal unit around each of the uppersurface and the lower surface when said terminal unit is in a relaxedmanner so as to allow said terminal unit to be radially expanded whencompressed in said vertical direction.